Verse 1
There’s dust on the dash of the old Toyota,
Sun sinkin’ low on the edge of October,
Shotguns wrapped in a faded old tarp,
Dogs in the back and a fire in our hearts.
Geese fly low over floodplain water,
Up in the Northern Territory border,
Dad says, “Boys, don’t forget what matters,”
It ain’t the hunt or the stories we gather.
Chorus
We were raised on backroads, cold beer and prayer,
Red dirt boots and the Territory air,
Pig dogs singin’ through the moonlight pines,
Jono, Lauia by my side.
Cameron and Zain mob ridin’ through the night,
Brothers beside me for the rest of my life,
Yeah the bush raised us tough, but it taught us the same:
Look after your people and protect your name.
Verse 2
Mum made tea while the rain rolled in,
Kids all laughin’ with mud on their skin,
Grandpa smiled with a smoke in hand,
Sayin’, “This right here is a wealthy man.”
Not rich in gold, not rich in fame,
Just rich in stories and the blood in our veins,
Every scar and every hard-earned mile,
Was worth it for nights like this all the while.
Chorus
We were raised on backroads, cold beer and prayer,
Red dirt boots and the Territory air,
Pig dogs singin’ through the moonlight pines,
Jono, Lauia by my side.
Cameron and Zain mob ridin’ through the night,
Brothers beside me for the rest of my life,
Yeah the bush raised us tough, but it taught us the same:
Look after your people and protect your name.
Bridge
Out where the buffalo roam the plains,
Wet season storms and the heavy rain,
The Northern Territory made us hard,
But gave us hearts that don’t fall apart.
Final Chorus
Yeah we were raised on backroads, family and faith,
Sunburnt hearts in a wide-open place,
Goose feathers driftin’ through the morning light,
Thank God for the Territory nights.